Rotary converter sealing devices



ROTARY CONVERTER SEALING DEVICES Filed Feb. 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. CLARENCE H. THAYER fiakrk o. Sapd z ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1955 CH.THAYER ROTARY CONVERTER SEALING DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 53 CLARENCE H.THAYiER LL-41 b Filed Feb. 24, 1954 I Fig, 2

ATTORNEY p, EF 4 6, 1955 c. H. THAYER 2,715,567

ROTARY CONVERTER SEALING DEVICES Filed Feb. 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Aug. 16, 1955 c. H. THAYER ROTARY CONVERTER SEALING DEVICES 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 24, 1954 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. CLARENCE H.THAYER ATTOR EY United States Patent Ofitice2,715,567 Patented Aug. 16, 1955 ROTARY CONVERTER SEALING DEVICESClarence H. Thayer, Wallingford, Pa., assignor to Sun Oil Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 24,1954, Serial No. 412,230 11 Claims. (Cl. 23288) In an application filedSeptember 14, 1953, Serial No. 380,027, later allowed, and issue March22, 1955, as Patent No. 2,704,741, there is shown and described aconverter in which difierent fluids are passed successively throughcontact material, typically a catalyst, from which efliuent products aresuccessively removed. The converter comprises fixed inner and outercylindrical casings, and an annular rotatable reaction vessel betweensuch casings and spaced from both to form inner and outercircumferential spaces each of which is enclosed, top and bottom, bycircumferentially extending sealing devices, and each of which isdivided by vertically extending sealing devices into independent arcuatespaces or compartments. One of said casings, preferably the innercasing, is divided into compartments, equal in number to said arcuatespaces, into which the different fluids to be passed into the contactmaterial are conveyed and from which such fluids continuously flow intothe corresponding arcuate spaces and thence into radially extendingcatalyst containers communicating at opposite ends with said inner andouter circumferential spaces, which containers, in the rotation of thereaction vessel, are brought into communication one after another withthe several arcuate spaces. The vertically extending sealing devicescarried by the two casings are arranged in pairs, one carried by eachcasing, so that any given time in the rotation of the reaction vesselthe same set of catalyst-containing containers communicates withcorresponding inner and outer arcuate spaces.

It is of importance that these seals shall be as fluidtight as possible,in order to avoid any substantial leakage from one arcuate compartmentto another. Varyiing conditions of operation, such as substantialchanges in temperature, produce some contraction and expansion of themetal of the casings and reaction vessel and possible slightdisplacement of their ideal relative positions. The invention has forits object to provide sealing devices that are dependably tight underall conditions of operation.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention Figure 1 is a vertical section through the reactor.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a vertical sealing member showing itsinterconnecting means with the upper and lower circumferential sealingmembers. The view is taken on a cylindrical plane indicated generally bya line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, through the upper and lowercircumferential seals, taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a vertical sealing membertaken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-section through a vertical sealing member taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a vertical sealing member equivalent toFigure 5 but having a concave sealing surface for use at the outer shellof the reactor.

Figure 7 is a cross-section through a vertical sealing member asconstructed to frame the sides of an opening in the inner cylindricalcasing.

Figure 8 is a cross-section through a circumferential sealing member, asconstructed, to frame the top, or inverted, the bottom, of an opening inthe inner cylindrical casing.

The main features of construction of the converter, disclosed in moredetail in said prior application and to which the improved sealingdevices are applied, will first be briefly described, reference beingmade more particularly to Figure 1.

10 is an outer cylindrical casing which is fixed to a supporting base11. The casing 10 is made pressure-tight and encloses the reactionvessel 12 containing the catalyst.

The reaction vesel 12 is annular in shape, being formed by an outercylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall connected by upper andlower annular plates.

The reaction vessel 12 contains a multiplicity of similarly shapedradially extending tubular members 15 arranged circumferentially withinthe reaction vessel 12 and grouped in a number of tiers one aboveanother, each tier comprising a multitude of such tubular membersarranged along approximately the same horizontal plane. This arrangementmay be varied so long as a multiplicity of catalyst containers orchambers are arranged completely around the reaction chamber. Theopposite ends of each catalyst-containing tube are secured in aperturesin the outside and inside walls respectively of the reaction vessel. Thetubes are preferably inclined downward from their inner ends towardtheir outer ends. The tubes contain catalyst of a type and activitysuitable for the desired hydrocarbon reaction. At their inlet ends thetubes may contain a relatively short section of heat retentivenon-catalystic contact material for supplying heat of vaporization forthe liquid hydrocarbon injected therein.

In Fig. 1 only five tiers are shown, but the commercial embodiment ofthe invention will contain a greater n l ber of tiers, as disclosed insaid application, so that the height of the tiers will substantiallyexceed the radial width of the reaction vessel and reduce the volume ofthe spaces, shown in Fig. 1, above and below the tiers of tubes. Thesefeatures are, however, not essential to the invention herein claimed.

The proper temperature is maintained within the reaction vessel byadmitting heat exchange fluid through an inlet conduit 2% to an inletmanifold 21, which fluid passes therefrom through orifices in the upperwall of the reaction vessel to its interior. Within the reaction vesselare vertical baffles 22 around the lower edge of which the heating fluidpasses upward through orifices in the upper wall of the reaction vesselto an outlet manifold 23 and thence to an outflow conduit 24.

The reaction vessel and the associated heat exchange circulating systemform an assembly which is disposed within the casing 10 to provide anouter annular space 25 between the casing and the outer Wall 12 of thereaction vessel, 21 lower space 26 between the base 11 and the lowerwall 14 of the reaction vessel and an enlarged space 27 below the top ofthe casing. A set of rollers 28 is provided within the lower space 26 torotatably support the reaction vessel, which is driven by a motor Mthrough a gear wheel 29 engaging a ring gear 36 secured to an extension31 of the reaction vessel. The inner heat exchange conduit 20 isconnected to the lower end of the outer heat exchange conduit 24 by aflange 32 and both conduits are arranged for rotation with the reactionvessel in a stufiing box 33 extending through the roof of the casing 10.

Within and spaced from the reaction vessel is an inner stationarycylindrical casing 35 the interior of which ing products-formed duringthe third step. Three of the four supply conduits; lettered a, 11 and c,that supply three of the above specified fluids to their respectivesectors are sh'oWnJin'Fig. 1. ment of walls or partitions. feed units isnot: herein illustrated, of the invention herein :clai-med. from theseveral sectors the several'lspeci-fied fluids flow into theseveralarcuate spaces or compartments inner casing 35 andttheinner wall of thereaction vessel 12 and from such enclosure into the inner ends of thevarious catalyst-containing tubes 15.: This annularv enclosure is sealedt the top by a circumferentially extending sealing device e andis'sealed at the. bottom by a circumferentiallry' extendingsealingdevice f (see Fig. 1). These sealing devices are hereinaftermore-. particularlydescribed and illustrated. The .annu-. lar enclosureso formed is. divided into-arcuate enclosures The just describedarrangeforming such sector-shaped since it forms no part It suffice'stosay-that or: spaces (corresponding in number to the fluid supply.

chambers. of the inner casing) by vertically extending sealing devicesi; shown in Fig. 1 and illustrated in greater detail in other figuresand hereinafter particularly described These. verticallyextendingsealing' devices may be four in number and align radially. withthe radial partitions. that divide the chambers, so that each arcuatespace constantly receives one of the four supply fluids specified.Similarly, the annular space between the reaction vessel .12. andtheouter. cylindrical casing is sealed .top and bottomby circumferentiallyextending sealing devices g and h, and is divided into .arcuate spacesby vertically extending seals illustrated in other figures andhereinafter described. Where the inner vertical seals are arranged inalignment with the radial partitions ofthe inner .casing,.thei outervertical seals are paired with that at any given time in; the rotationof the-reactionvessel the same set otlcatalyst-containingtubescommunicates-with corresponding arcuate spaces inside and outside thereaction vessel.

.This description, so no feature of construction which, is essentially;difierent fromiwhat. is disclosed in said prior application: 7 ltmay bedesirable, however, to briefly describe the operation common to that. ofsaid prior application and the present disclosure, As: the reaction,vessel rotates each catalystcontaining tube of each tieroftubesregisters suc cessively withthe several. arcua-te spaces betweenthe reaction vessel; and the. inner casing and therefore eachcatalyst-containingtube receives successively the several fluidssupplied to. the several arcuate spaces from the re: spectivecompartments within the inner casing, At any given moment a considerablenumber of tubes receives the same fluid. The vertical seals thatdetermine the lengths, measured arcuately, of the several; arcuatespaces between the inner casing and the rotating reaction vessel are ofsuflicient width to each overlap the inlet to any tube. .The samedescriptionapplies to the. arcuate spaces between the rotating reactionvessel and the outer casing. Thus at any given moment one set of from.oneof the inner a'rcuate spaces, the. same hydrocarbonqrea'c'tant or thesame purging fluid and .isdischarging the products of reaction orpurging into the corresponding outer arcuat'e space fromeach of whichout'e" ricu'atespa'ces theproduct s of reaction-or purgingare'reriioveda cbmnron outletconduit; these outlet conduits 47'- are showirin" Fig-$1.)

The s'ealingdevicesmereiiiafter described are designed forapplicationtoa converter or thetype described'and of the innercylindrical casing between the outer Wall of the inner casing intosector-shaped.

the inner. vertical seals, so

far as, it has proceede d, discloses tubes isreceiving (Two of 7 4 areillustrated in detail on Sheets 2, 3 and 4 (Figs. 2 to 8, inclusive).

Each of the sealing devices, whether extending vertically orcircumferentially, is made up of separate units arranged in a rowextending vertically or circumferentially. The sealing units of each rowmay be identical in specific construction and in the way in which theyare supported; All are supported from one or theother of the fixedcasings. V

Fe: 3 a ar extending sealingunits supported on niewan'dr' the innercasing.

Fig. 5 shows-one of the vertically extending sealing units applied tothewall of; the inner casing, while Fig. 6 shows one of the verticallyextending units applied to the wall of the outer casing.

Each of the sealing units shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, supported by one orthe other of t e casings, corn-prises a holder of channel bar shape,opening toward the rotary reaction v'essel'. 51', slid'ably" pressedradiallv against the rotary reaction vesselby any coiivenient'pneumaticor mechanical means} 501s supported from the easing w'all-by means ofplates 53, 53,-each'sea]ledby welding at one end to'th e casing wall, attheir other ends'secured to opposite sides of the holder,

wall ofthecasin-g with'an opening of maximum arcuate widthinorder-toapply the injector (notv shown) for the efll-uentifluidascloseas possible toone openedge ofthe casing Wall. In such case it isdesirable to utilize a' seal of the specific construction shown in Figs;7' and 8. The construction: embodying the holder 50, sliding block 51andsprin g 52 may be'thesarne as that shown in Figs. 3; 5: and fi,but'vvith a different' seal support for the holder. One such support 54?is welded at one end to the casing and at its other'end is secured tothe holder 50, as in Figs- 3, 5 and 6i one endto the holder while theother end extends around an edge ofthe casi-n g andis welded to'theoppositeface' of the casing-v.1 2. y Reference shouldinow be made to an:important feature of theinventioniishowninFigs; 2' and 4.

units constitntinga completevertically extending sealn'g. device.Thefend sealing units 60'shownare sealing .units ofia.eii'cumferentially extending sealing device which are overlapped by theadjacent vertically extending sealing units .61; that is,'by the endunits of a vertically extending sealing? device. So, also, adjacentvertically extending sealing: units overlap one another; extend.throfiughqane;

hQkz-r;

In a manner. the adjacent units 60 of each i.

cumfere H i :"a'l movenientfwhile maintaining unimpaired the elfidiencyand tightness of the sealing device as a whole.

generally radially within the vessel, said vessel located between theinnerandouter casings and spaced from both toform inner and outercaeumreren'ziarspaees and ldwer eneunif rennauv In this holder is asealing block It is desirable however, toflprovide the inner The othersupport '55 is secured at- I In Fig 4 isis disclosed aurow lfrom' topto'bottom, of the sealing Pins 63 of the overlapping: units and makeclose to end .contact..witl1' theadjacent unit. Thereby. limitedrelative. vertical movement of adjacent sealing units. of a line ofsealing units is permitted without impairing the efliciency andtightness of' thesealing device.

he and lower circumferentialsealing devices are overlappingly connectedso asto allow relative cirpartitioned by vertically andcircumferentially extending sealing devices between the annularrevoluble reaction vessel and the casings to form sets of inner andouter arcuate spaces, the arcuate spaces of one set adapted to receivethe respective fluids, and the arcuate spaces of the other set adaptedto receive the efliuent fluids; the improvement in said sealing deviceswhich comprises a holder of channel-bar shape supported from one of thecasing walls and open toward the opposing face of the annular revolublevessel, and a sealing block supported in and slidable radially of theholder, the above specified support for the holder comprising plateseach sealed at one end to the casing and extending toward and secured toopposite sides of the holder.

2. A converter as described in claim 1 in which one of the plates issealed to one face of the casing and in which the other plate is sealedto the other face of the casing.

3. A converter in which difierent fluids are fed successively intocatalyst containers and from which the different products aresuccessively removed, the same comprising a fixed outer cylindricalcasing, a fixed inner cylindrical casing, an annular revoluble reactionvessel containing a multiplicity of catalyst chambers arranged aroundthe vessels circumference and each extending generally radially withinthe vessel, said vessel being located between the inner and outercasings and spaced from both to form inner and outer circumferentialspaces partitioned by vertically and circumferentially extending sealingdevices between the annular revoluble reaction vessel and the casingsarranged to form inner and outer arcuate spaces, the arcuate spaces ofone set adapted to receive the respective fluids, and the outer arcuatespaces of the other set adapted to receive the efiluent fluids; theimprovement in a vertically extending sealing device comprising a seriesof sealing units arranged in vertical alignment between one of saidcasings and the annular revoluble reaction vessel and carried by suchcasing, adjacent sealing units of a series overlapping and havinglimited relative vertical sliding movement.

4. A converter as defined in claim 3 in which each sealing unitcomprises a holder of channel-bar shape supported from one of the casingwalls and open toward the opposing face of the revoluble vessel, and asealing block supported in and radially slidable of the holder, theabove specified support for the holder comprising plates each sealed atone end to the casing and extending toward and secured to opposite sidesof the holder.

5. The construction defined in claim 4 in which a pin is secured to oneof each two adjacent holders and is in loose fitting engagement with theother holder.

6. A converter in which difierent fluids are fed successively intocatalyst containers and from which the different products aresuccessively removed, the same comprising a fixed outer cylindricalcasing, a fixed inner cylindrical casing, an annular revoluble reactionvessel containing a multiplicity of catalyst chambers arranged aroundthe vessels circumference and each extending generally radially withinthe vessel, said vessel being located between the inner and outercasings and spaced from both to form inner and outer circumferentialspaces partitioned by vertically and circumferentially extending sealingde vices between the annular revoluble reaction vessel and the casingsarranged to form sets of inner and outer arcuate spaces, the arcuatespaces of one set adapted to receive the respective fluids, and thearcuate spaces of the other set adapted to receive the effluent fluids;the improvement in a circumferentially extending sealing devicecomprising a series of sealing units arranged in circumferentialalignment between one of said casings and the annular revoluble reactionvessel and carried by said casing, adjacent sealing units of a seriesoverlapping and having limited relative circumferential slidingmovement.

7. A converter as defined in claim 6 in which each sealing unitcomprises a holder of channel-bar shape supported from one of the casingWalls and open toward the opposing face of the revoluble vessel, and asealing block supported in and radially slidable of the holder, theabove specified support for the holder comprising plates each sealed atone end to the casing and extending toward and secured to opposite sidesof the holder.

8. The construction defined in claim 7 in which a pin is secured to oneof each two adjacent holders and is in loose fitting engagement with theother holder.

9. A converter in which different fluids are fed successively intocatalyst containers and from which the different products aresuccessively removed, the same comprising a fixed outer cylindricalcasing, a fixed inner cylindrical casing, an annular revoluble reactionvessel containing a multiplicity of catalyst chambers arranged aroundthe vessels circumference and each extending generally radially withinthe vessel, said vessel being located between the inner and outercasings and spaced from both to form inner and outer circumferentialspaces partitioned by vertically and circumferentially extending sealingdevices between the annular revoluble reaction vessel and the casingsarranged to form sets of inner and outer arcuate spaces, the arcuatespaces of one set adapted to receive the respective fluids, and thearcuate spaces of the other set adapted to receive the efiiuent fluids;the improvement in said sealing devices, in which a vertically extendingsealing device comprises a series of sealing units arranged in verticalalignment and carried by one of the casings and between such casing andthe annular revoluble reaction vessel and in which a circumferentiallyextending sealing device comprises a series of sealing units arranged incircumferential alignment and carried by one of the casings and betweensuch casing and the annular revoluble reaction vessel the sealing unitsof each series overlapping and having limited relative movement in thedirection of extension of the series, the end sealing units of avertical series engaging in overlapping arrangement sealing units ofupper and lower circumferentially extending sealing devices.

10. A converter as defined in claim 9 in which each sealing unitcomprises a holder of channel-bar shape supported from one of the casingwalls and open toward the opposing face of the revoluble vessel, and asealing block supported in and radially slidable of the holder, theabove specified support for the holder comprising plates each sealed atone end to the casing and extending toward and secured to opposite sidesof the holder.

11. The construction defined in claim 10 in which a pin is secured toone of two adjacent vertical and circumferential holders and is in loosefitting relation with the other holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,590,266 Fiedtke et al June 29, 1926 2,053,159 Miller Sept. 1, 19362,507,538 Miller May 16, 1950

1. A CONVERTER IN WHICH DIFFERENT FLUIDS ARE FED SUCCESSIVELY INTOCATALYST CONTAINERS AND FROM WHICH THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS ARESUCCESSIVELY REMOVED, THE SAME COMPRISING A FIXED OUTER CYLINDRICALCASING, A FIXED INNER CYLINDRICAL CASING, AN ANNULAR REVOLUBLE REACTIONVESSEL CONTAINING A MULTIPLICITY OF CATALYST CHAMBEWR ARRANGED AROUNDTHE VESSEL''S CIRCUMFERENCE AND EACH EXTENDING GENERALLY RADIALLY WITHINTHE VESSEL, SAID VESSEL BEING LOCATED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTERCASINGS AND SPACED FROM BOTH TO FORM INNER AND OUTER CIRCUMFERENTIALSPACES PARTITIONED BY VERTICALLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SEALINGDEVICES BETWEEN THE ANNULAR REVOLUBLE REACTION VESSEL AND THE CASINGS TOFORM SETS OF INNER AND OUTER ARCUATE SPACES, THE ARCUATE SPACES OF ONESET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE RESPECTIVE FLUIDS, AND THE ARCUATE SPACES OFTHE OTHER SET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE EFFLUENT FLUIDS; THE IMPROVEMENT INSAID SEALING DEVICES WHICH COMPRISES A HOLDER OF CHANNEL-BAR SHAPEDSUPPORTED FROM ONE OF THE CASING WALLS AND OPEN TOWARD THE OPPOSING FACEOF THE ANNULAR REVOLUBLE VESSEL, AND A SEALING BLOCK SUPPORTED IN ANDSLIDABLE RADIALLY OF THE HOLDER, THE ABOVE SPECIFIED